Purpose/Objective: Russia, like the U.S. during the Cold War, wanted to spread its influence throughout the world and prevent the other country from doing so. The initial invasion was to prevent the toppling of a friendly socialistic regime, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA).
Russia wanted to expand Asian influence by taking over Afghanistan, and making it a communist country.
Parallels in Kite Runner: - December 24-25 1979, invasion and removal of leader Hafizullah Amin in place of Babrak Karmal
Hafizulian Amin
Babrak Karmal
U.S. Involvement - Weapons Supplier​ - Negotiator between Saudi Arabia, Israel, China and Pakistan - Charlie Wilson, senator from Texas - Funded Afghan insurgents, called Mujahideen- gained power, and money during war - Mujahideen fighters received training in Pakistan and China
File:Afghanistan insurgency 1985.png
What America did
Ban was put on exports of grain to Russia
Mujahideen fighters had access to American surface-to-air missile, but not through direct sales
Why America helped the Mujahideen - Congressman Charlie Wilson was a major supporter -Wilson gave hundreds of millions of dollars to the Mujahideen - Stop the spread of Communism at all costs - Oil
Fun Facts of Soviet Union
About 30,000 troops of Soviet soldiers was sent in
After settling into a stalemate, over 100,000 Soviet troops controlled the cities, and large towns.
Approximately 15,000soviet men and women died in the 1979-1989 Afghanistan war.
December 5th 1978, a peace treaty was signed between Russia and Afghanistan.
Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan in 1988. There is a renewed push to find those unaccounted for.
Soviet Troops leaving Afghanistan Feb. 1989
Mujahideens Victory Day
Soviet contingent forces after capturing some Mujahideen.
Russia, like the U.S. during the Cold War, wanted to spread its influence throughout the world and prevent the other country from doing so. The initial invasion was to prevent the toppling of a friendly socialistic regime, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA).
Parallels in Kite Runner:
- December 24-25 1979, invasion and removal of leader Hafizullah Amin in place of Babrak Karmal
U.S. Involvement
- Weapons Supplier​
- Negotiator between Saudi Arabia, Israel, China and Pakistan
- Charlie Wilson, senator from Texas
- Funded Afghan insurgents, called Mujahideen- gained power, and money during war
- Mujahideen fighters received training in Pakistan and China
- Ban was put on exports of grain to Russia
- Mujahideen fighters had access to American surface-to-air missile, but not through direct sales
Why America helped the Mujahideen- Congressman Charlie Wilson was a major supporter
- Wilson gave hundreds of millions of dollars to the Mujahideen
- Stop the spread of Communism at all costs
- Oil
Fun Facts of Soviet Union
Weapons in Use
http://youtu.be/-WnFm4oXZ3U
Russian Soviet Afghan War Song "Karavan"
Three Major PointsSources:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/afghanistan-1979.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/23/world/europe/russians-seek-fate-of-soldiers-from-afghan-war.html?_r=0
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/russia_invasion_afghanistan.htm
http://terrorism.about.com/od/warinafghanistan/ss/AfghanistanWar_3.htm
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/charlie-wilson-congressman-whose-support-for-the-mujahideen-helped-force-the-soviet-union-out-of-afghanistan-1898180.html